


The Proposal, Gone Wrong

by StarSpangledBucky



Series: Stucky [16]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anniversary, Based on a Tumblr Post, Date Night, Feelings, Fluff, Fluffy Feelings, Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Tears, True Love, high school sweethearts, marriage proposal gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 14:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5419790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarSpangledBucky/pseuds/StarSpangledBucky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate universe, modern setting, where Bucky and Steve have been a couple since junior year of high school. They’re celebrating their six year anniversary and Steve has a surprise up his sleeve. It doesn’t exactly go to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Proposal, Gone Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a Tumblr post to pick a number and a pairing. Stucky and number 39. “Hey! I was gonna' eat that!”

Soothing jazz plays throughout the luxury restaurant, fully booked out on a Saturday night. The room is filled with the sounds of customers engaging in conversations, wine glasses clinking together and laughter. Steve and Bucky are sitting in one of the many rows of booths that are situated on the left side of the restaurant. It's intimate and cozy, with a candle flickering away in the middle of the table and a few rose petals scattered on the table. Bucky couldn't believe his eyes when they'd stepped out of the cab to see the restaurant he'd always wished he could go to. Steve had worked extra hours at work, which resulted in more pay, thus he organised everything for their very special night. 

He picked their six year anniversary, considering he had more intentions than just making it a simple date. Their wine glasses sat to the side, filled hallway with red wine, a plate of small desserts sitting between them with only one mini chocolate brownie left. Bucky's chin was propped up on his left hand, the other hand resting on the table, while he stares at Steve with adoration, a small smile curving at the corner of his mouth. Steve smiled back at him as he took a sip from his wine, before sliding his hand across the table and resting it over Bucky's. The brunette chuckled and turned his hand palm up, as Steve entwined their fingers and gave his hand a squeeze.

There wasn't any ounce of doubt that the pair weren't in love with each other, the six years together said it all. They'd met in their junior year of high school, paired together for a project in an art class. It was then that they became friends, before Steve asked Bucky out on a date and they became not only best friends, but lovers as well. Their small group of friends placed bets on how long they might last, as ridiculous as they were. Clint and Tony won, betting they'd last longer than three years, none of them expected them to last for six years though. Then again, true love never had a time limit.

"Steve," Bucky spoke, bringing Steve out of his thoughts.

"Hmm?" the blonde responded, tilting his head to the side.

"Tonight has been really great. I mean, bringin' me here, Steve I was surprised. I can't believe you were savin' up for this. Not to mention dinner was amazing," Bucky replied.

Steve grinned and lifted Bucky's hand to press a kiss on his knuckles, brushing his thumb over them afterwards.

"I just wanted to treat you, sweetheart. We've been together for six years today, so I thought I'd do somethin' really special," Steve mused.

"You're a damn romantic Rogers," Bucky huffed out, with a grin.

"Haven't I always been?" Steve teased, smirking against Bucky's hand as he gave it another kiss. "You look so beautiful," he added.

"Stop it," Bucky chuckled, biting on his bottom lip with a shade of pink showing on his cheeks.

The blush is more prominent under the dim light above them, it almost looks like it's a red shade, but Steve knows it's only pink. It's beautiful none the less and Steve can't stop smiling at his lover. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded photograph, unfolding it slowly and sliding it across the table to Bucky. The brunette picked it up and scanned his eyes over it, the corner of his mouth twitching up as he glanced back at Steve with a bright look in his eyes.

"Prom," he said.

"Yeah," Steve breathed out, with a nod of his head. "Remember how stressed you got because the car you organised got cancelled because it broke down," he continued.

"...you picked me up on your Harley," Bucky finished.

"Everybody loved that, they loved the fact that we were dressed up in suits and we had sunglasses on and we just cruised on in on the Harley," Steve commented.

"Best idea ever," Bucky chimed.

"Remember when we were slow dancing?" the blonde asked.

Bucky's smile cracked a little as a few tears welled in his eyes.

"First time you told me you loved me," he choked out. "Sorry," he apologised, shaking his head as he wiped away a tear. "You've just given me so many memories to treasure Stevie," he added.

"It's alright baby," Steve hushed, tightening his grip on Bucky's hand. "Couldn't take my eyes off you that night. I knew it was the right moment to say it. Loved you from the day we met, I just didn't want to say anythin'," he murmured.

"You're adorable," the brunette hummed.

Steve snorted and shrugged sheepishly as Bucky reached for his wine and finished the rest in small sips. He folded the picture back up and handed it back to Steve, still keeping his hand clasped with Steve's. The blonde reached over to the plate and picked up the last brownie, popping it in his mouth and biting into the chewy goodness. Bucky gasped with wide eyes, his free hand falling against his chest.

"Hey! I was gonna' eat that!" he exclaimed.

"Aw, sorry," Steve crowed, peppering kisses on Bucky's hand.

"Flirting won't get you anywhere," he grumbled, with a pout as he moved his hand away from Steve.

"Oh that's how it's gonna' be huh?" Steve answered, narrowing his eyes with a playful glint in his eye.

"You ate the brownie I had my eyes on," Bucky complained, trying his hardest not to smile and give up his act.

His boyfriend rolled his eyes and held his hand up as he waved a waiter over with a kind smile.

"Well since you're gonna' be like that," Steve rebuked, greeting the waiter with another smile. "Excuse me, could we get some more of those chocolate brownies. My boyfriend dislikes me because I ate the last one," he issued.

Bucky kicked Steve under the table and rested his chin on his hand again.

"You punk," he grunted.

"Jerk," Steve retorted.

"Certainly sir, is that all?" the waiter questioned.

"No, actually..." the blonde trailed off, motioning the waiter to come a little closer.

The brunette raised an eyebrow then frowned as Steve whispered to the waiter, his mouth forming into a simple smile as the waiter nodded in response to whatever he was saying. He poured more wine into his glass and took a bigger swig that time, before regretting it because red wine shouldn't be consumed in large amounts.

"I'll be back shortly with your order sir," the waiter said, before leaving to attend to another table.

Steve turned his attention back to Bucky, smile fading slightly when he saw the look on Bucky's face.

"What's that look for?" he queried.

"What look?" Bucky replied.

The blonde tilted his head and looked at Bucky as if saying  _'don't play that game with me'._

"Were you gettin' a little jealous?" he taunted, with a coy smirk.

"No," Bucky scoffed, drinking more wine.

"Liar," Steve protested.

He sighed and lent forward, taking Bucky's chin between his thumb and index finger.

"Sweetheart, I only have eyes for you remember," he whispered.

"I'm not jealous you ass, I just hate when you get all secretive," Bucky muttered.

"You were a little bit jealous, I know you," he accused.

"Fine, I was a little, just a little!" Bucky confessed, pointing his finger at Steve.

"C'mere," Steve mumbled, drawing Bucky in closer.

They met in a chaste kiss, until Bucky parted his lips slightly and grinned, biting playfully on Steve's bottom lip.

"Such a jerk," Steve said, kissing Bucky deeper. "Love you," he soothed.

"Love you too," Bucky uttered, grazing his thumb over Steve's lip.

The pair nestled back into their seats in time for the waiter to arrive back with another plate of brownies, Bucky's eyes lighting up at the sight of them. Steve laughed and ducked his head, shaking it before looking up again resting his clenched hand against his mouth. He watched Bucky pick up a brownie, his eyes darting to the plate briefly to see any sign of something silver, to then look back at Bucky.

"These are so good," Bucky groaned, biting the entire brownie.

"You slob," Steve snickered.

Bucky smiled as he started chewing and wiping the melted chocolate off his fingers with his tongue.

"I'm not a slob," he mumbled, through a mouthful of chocolate, causing Steve to laugh again.

"Sure," Steve drawled.

Suddenly, Bucky's smile dropped as he blinked rapidly before making a choking sound, his hand coming up to his throat.

"Buck?" Steve spoke, sitting up straighter.

He was out of his seat within seconds when Bucky started coughing harshly, his hand dropping to his chest. The brunette was hunched over as he elicited another choking sound his eyes screwing shut.

"Bucky! Hey, come on baby tell me what's wrong," he pleaded. "Can someone call an ambulance please!" he yelled, dropping beside Bucky.

"I can't-" Bucky paused, as he coughed again.

"Shit. Shit shit shit," Steve cursed, rubbing Bucky's back.

"Is everything okay?" a young woman interjected.

"I think he's choking," Steve answered.

"I'm a nurse, do you mind?" she asked.

"No please, go ahead," the blonde insisted, stepping to the side.

Tears were sliding down Bucky's cheeks as he began coughing again, hand hitting his chest to try and dislodge what was in his throat. Steve ran his hand through his hair, his other hand resting on his hip, his head dropping into his hand as droplets of tears fell from the corners of his eyes. He slid his hand down his face, stopping at his mouth as Bucky still sat bent over the table with his hands resting on his thighs. The nurse encouraged him to keep coughing to try and clear the blockage, the heel of her hand pressing between Bucky's shoulder blades every three minutes.

"Fuck, Bucky I'm so sorry," Steve wavered, breath shaky, his hand clenching into a fist.

A light clinking noise drew Steve's attention back to Bucky, his gaze falling on the silver ring spinning on the table. His eyes widened as a wave of relief washed over him, his legs giving out as he sat down on a vacant chair. The waiter who had served them quickly picked up the ring with a napkin before handing it to Steve who took it gingerly. Bucky was gasping for air, his chest rising and falling as the sounds of the ambulance rang out in the distance, bringing more relief to Steve's panic.

"Thank god," he breathed, slumping back in the chair.

* * *

They spent only half an hour at the hospital, only so Bucky could be assessed to make sure everything was okay after his ordeal. Steve stayed by his side the entire time, watching him like a hawk and mother henning him from time to time. He had asked the waiter to hide the ring in with the brownies, somehow the waiter thought it meant to put the ring in an actual brownie. Steve was furious to say the least, because who was that dumb to hide a ring in the actual food. They had been offered a free meal for when they decided to come back, but Steve rejected the offer, telling them they'd likely not be back for a long time. But he'd stopped worrying about how angry he was and focused on Bucky as soon as they'd gotten into the ambulance. When Bucky was given the all clear, they left the hospital and decided to walk home.

The pair were now walking through the park, hand in hand, with Bucky pressed up close to Steve's side. Steve held Bucky's hand somewhat tighter than usual, most likely just from natural instinct considering how worried he was a few hours ago. Bucky sighed contently and lent his head against Steve's bicep, tucking his other hand into his jacket pocket. They'd been silent for the entire walk, save for Steve occasionally asking if Bucky was okay. He wouldn't really have had it any other way, Bucky loved the protective side of Steve, he always had. The brunette dropped his hand from Steve's and wrapped his arms around Steve, smiling when the blonde's arm fell lazily over his shoulders.

"So what exactly did I choke on? Because I didn't see it, and I didn't see it afterwards. Did the waiters clear it away as soon as it was out of my throat?" Bucky inquired, tilting his head up to look at Steve.

Steve's body tensed for a moment, before he exhaled deeply, knowing he had to tell Bucky. Or maybe he could show him, he still had the ring, tucked in his pocket, cleaned as if it was never covered in gooey chocolate.

"I-" Steve stopped, as he slowed down before coming to a halt.

"Stevie," Bucky whispered, standing in front of his boyfriend. "What's wrong babe?" he questioned.

"I-it was a special somethin"," Steve said. "And it wasn't supposed to be put into a brownie, it was supposed to be hidden in them so you could find it," he continued. "But I fucked that up didn't I? I should have been more detailed, I'm so sorry Bucky. I ruined it," he added, averting his gaze from Bucky.

"Stevie, baby, you could never fuck up," he crooned, caressing his hand down Steve's cheek and cupping his jaw. "What was the special thing for?" he asked.

The blonde swallowed thickly before he slid his hand into his pocket and fished out the ring. He smiled nervously as he took Bucky's hand before bending one knee and kneeling down on the ground. Bucky let out a choked laugh as he covered his mouth with his free hand, blinking some tears away.

"Oh...Steve," he gasped softly, laughing shakily through the tears.

"Since my idea was so terrible, I think this might work better," Steve spoke, staring up at Bucky, tears of his own pooling in his eyes. "I've had this planned for about two months now, it took me so long to find a ring. And I'm so sorry you ended up choking on it. But, if you'll still have it...Bucky, I love you, so much. And I think it's about time you stopped being my boyfriend and became my husband. I think six years is long enough. So, if you're up for it, pal-" he paused, choking back his tears.

Bucky broke down into sobs, remembering when Steve had called him that when they were only friends, his hand gripping Steve's warmly.

"Bucky Barnes, will you make me the happiest man in Brooklyn by becoming my husband?" he wavered, chewing down on his trembling lip.

"Yes," Bucky croaked. "Yes!" he shouted, at the top of his lungs.

Steve smiled widely and nodded as he held Bucky's hand out flat and gently pushed the ring onto his finger. Bucky let out an unintentional whimpering noise from his chest when the ring fit snugly on his finger, shining bright with a red and blue gem in the middle.

"It's gorgeous Stevie," he cried, admiring the ring up close.

The brunette yanked Steve forward by the lapels of his jacket when the blonde stood up, pressing their lips together as Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky in an embrace. They pulled away for a minute, Bucky's hands sliding up as he hugged Steve and sniffled into the crook of his neck.

"I love you," he said, nuzzling Steve's neck. "God, the fact that you thought about proposing to me in the restaurant is sweet. It is a shame it didn't go to plan," he murmured. "But this...is so worth it," he breathed, drawing back to glance at Steve. "You big dummy," he chuckled.

"I know," Steve replied, shrugging with embarrassment.

"Let's go home," Bucky suggested, rubbing his thumb on the nape of Steve's neck.

"Not yet," the blonde hummed, snaking his arms around Bucky's waist.

He guided Bucky back to his lips, sliding his hand up to the back of fiancé's neck, tilting his head at a better angle. Bucky grinned into the kiss, parting his lips to tempt Steve more, euphoria flooding through both of them.

_It could have been much worse..._

**Author's Note:**

> Can find me on tumblr: [x-crossbones-x](http://x-crossbones-x.tumblr.com/)


End file.
